Right-Wing Media Use Plouffe's Comments To Invent Suggestion That Obama Is "Afraid" Of Trump

Following Obama adviser David Plouffe's comments that Donald Trump's birther claims are a "sideshow" and that Trump has "zero chance" of being elected president, right-wing media have responded by suggesting that the Obama administration is "afraid" of Trump or is "worried" about him.

Plouffe Said Trump Has "Zero Chance" Of Being Elected President, Calls Trump Birtherism A "Sideshow"

Plouffe: "There Is Zero Chance That Donald Trump Would Ever Be Hired By The American People To Do This Job." On the April 10 edition of ABC's This Week, host Christiane Amanpour asked Plouffe about Trump's recent birther claims and a potential Trump presidential run. During the interview, Plouffe said that Trump's birther claims are a "sideshow" and stated that "there is zero chance" Trump would be elected president. From This Week:

AMANPOUR: The president announced his re-election campaign this week, and somebody else has jumped in -- all but jumped in, Donald Trump. He says that he may run for president. He seems to doubt yet again about President Obama. He's talking yet again about the whole birth certificate issue and saying, "There's at least a good chance that Barack Hussein Obama has made mincemeat of our great and cherished Constitution."

So I know that you've answered all the questions on this birth certificate, but what do you make about -- what do you make of Donald Trump and raising this issue? Do you think it's going to be a big issue in the campaign?

PLOUFFE: I don't. I think I saw Donald Trump's kind of rising and some falls. And given his behavior and spectacle over the last couple of weeks, I hope he keeps on rising, because I don't think there is a -- there's zero chance that Donald Trump would ever be hired by the American people to do this job.

There may be a small part of the country that believes these things, but mainstream Americans think it's a sideshow, and what they want our leaders to do is focus squarely on the issues right in front of us, how we're going to keep growing the economy. We've had over 1.3 million jobs created in the last 13 months. We've got to keep doing that. How we keep our people safe. How do we make sure we're going to win the future by focusing on things like education and innovation. [ABC's This Week, 4/10/11]

Kilmeade Asked If White House Is "Afraid" Of Trump. On the April 11 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-host Brian Kilmeade teased an upcoming segment with Trump by asking: "The White House fires back at Donald Trump, calling his possible presidential run a 'sideshow in disguise.' Are they really afraid of him?" [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 4/11/11]

Bolling: "Is The White House Getting Worried?" Later on Fox & Friends, guest co-host Eric Bolling asked: "Is the White House getting worried? A spokesperson for the president trashing Donald Trump." Bolling then aired a clip of Plouffe's comments on This Week. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 4/11/11]

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